Neferтιтi, whose name translates to “the beautiful one who has come” in Egyptian, was the Great Wife of Akhenaten. If the bust discovered in the sculptor’s workshop in Amarna accurately represents her, she must have indeed possessed a beauty worthy of her name.
Her origins remain a topic of considerable debate. Some scholars suggest she may have been a foreign bride, potentially linked to AmunH๏τep III, with the leading candidate being Tadukhepa, the daughter of Tushratta, King of Mitanni. However, there is no evidence to substantiate this claim. The fact that Neferтιтi had an Egyptian wet-nurse strongly indicates that she was born in Egypt.
Her parents are not documented, and aside from a sister, there are no known relatives. Tey, the wife of Aye, served as Neferтιтi’s wet-nurse, a position of honor rather than servitude, which would have conferred significant status. Aye, who held the тιтle of “God’s Father,” was Akhenaten’s most trusted advisor. Circumstantial evidence implies that Aye might have been the brother of Tiy, the Great Wife of AmunH๏τep III. This raises the possibility that Neferтιтi was Aye’s daughter by another wife, with Tey serving as both wet-nurse and stepmother. While most historians lean towards this interpretation, the evidence remains tenuous, and other theories are even less substantiated.
Neferтιтi and Akhenaten had six daughters, and numerous family portraits exist, showcasing their affectionate relationships. There is no doubt that this family was тιԍнтly bonded, yet they must have felt the absence of a son to inherit the throne.
